Star Wars: An Empire Rising
by Thraxe Mordane
Summary: The Clone Wars is raging, but its finally drawing to a close. With Dooku dead and Grievous being hunted, peace seems to be inevitable. But the shadow of the Dark Side is about to be unleashed. And Jedi Padawan Nulo Bralix is about to see the truth unleashed in the form of the newly formed Empire...and it's new enforcer, Darth Vader...


Three Hours before Order 66 is initiated...

Aspiring Jedi Nulo Bralix was alone in his room, a small, compact space large enough to house one, but with enough room to include miniscule items of varying value. Nulo liked to keep things, a sign of avarice, and something the Order does not fully agree with and have been vocal about to his master, Kel Dor Jedi Mudo D'Siil who was at a meeting with them now. Nulo was toying around with a holocron his master had left him to study when the door buzzed.

"Come in," he said as he tossed the rectangular device over to his desk, slightly levitating it with the Force so it landed gently. The door slid open and in entered his Master, his alien features giving him a somewhat menacing appearance that belied his inner calm and compassionate exterior. He waited till the door slid shut and locked it, and turned his hidden gaze onto his Padawan. "What is it, Master?" Mudo didn't immediately answer, instead stepping forward and swiveling to take in the scenery as if it was the last time he would see it. He exhaled, a sharp breath from a vocalizer he used to keep him alive, as he was unable to breath the oxygen-enriched air.

"I'm afraid, my student, that you have been reassigned," Nulo sat up, all pretext of relaxation gone from his nimble limbs as he leapt from the cot to confront his master.

"What?!But, why? Have I done something to offend you, master?" Mudo turned and gestured to the door, opening it with a simple wave of his spade-like hand and nodded for Nulo to walk with him. Nulo obliged, albeit, grudgingly. "Master-"

"Shh..." Mudo whispered, his voice benign and extraordinarily calm. They walked in silence for a few minutes, passing temple guards and other students of the Force, old or young. When Mudo finally spoke, it was as if he were losing a loved one to the Eridian plague. "The Council deems you unfit for trials, let alone to be a student." That took Nulo by surprise: he had known that some on the Council, like Master's Windu and Mundi were ever against him being taken as a Padawan, even if they didn't openly admit it, they made a habit of looking at him with something similar to scorn. "The Council has reassigned you to the Agricultural corps on Bandomeer following a brief evaluation by the entirety of the Council, even if most are absent," Mudo said this last thing with a tinge of anger. Nulo could understand why: the Clone Wars.

"But, master, what is the reason for this punishment?" Nulo asked, looking up at the wrinkled alien who taught him how to properly wield a lightsaber, the symbol of their Order.

"It's not...ah," Mudo stopped walking and turned to face his soon-to-be former student with a look of regret etched on his rugged features. "Look, I won't lie to you, Nulo. The Council feels your 'attachment' to the objects you retrieve or pick up on the planets we liberate are pulling you farther away from the light and into darkness, the dark side." Mudo looked around for a second before continuing, leaning forward, he whispered: "But, I know you Nulo, I've trained you since your years as a youngling and I know you wouldn't betray us. Their just worried you'll become another Skywalker." Nulo knew the name, even if he hadn't met the man who owned it.

Anakin Skywalker was the supposed Chosen One, the Hero of the Clone Wars and whose loyalty seemed divided these days. Between clandestine meetings with the Supreme Chancellor and his growing disillusionment with the ways of their Order, it was hard not to find Nulo just as troublesome as Skywalker. However, he knew he wasn't even close to falling that far. "Master, see reason! When have I ever been driven to anger or hatred, lashing out in pure aggression? Skywalker has shown vocal disapproval with the Council, both to those around him, and to the Council themselves."

"Which, my young student, is why they feel you need to be sent to the Corps. To set an example, mostly to show Skywalker that he isn't above the will of the Council."

"So, I'm being punished for the fault of another, is it?!" Now he found himself getting angry. The nerve of the Council, to send him away, and leave Skywalker to his meanderings was down right insulting. "Fine! Let's go speak to the Council. I want to hear their verdict in person."

"Nulo, wait!" Mudo cried as Nulo stormed off in the direction of the Council chambers. He felt angry, and disgraced; the fact that he was to be expelled for a few trinkets taken from the battlefields he's fought on and the fact that Skywalker has openly defied the Council numerous times came as an insult, not just to him, but to his pride, another step into the Dark Side. _Fine! _He thought, as he came to halt in front of the lift leading up to the Council's chambers. _I'll embrace the anger and despair that you all so taught me to ignore, because, really, what else will I have left after you _expel _me? _He all but ignored his master's cries for reason as he stepped into the tube.

"Goodbye, Master," He whispered, as the tube slid shut and he felt himself being lifted upward to meet his destiny.

The tube slid open after a few minutes of climbing, and he exited into an ordained chamber that housed the wisest beings in the Galaxy, the Jedi Council. He slowly, hesitantly stepped forward, both exhilarated and afraid. This was a bold move for a Padawan, but he was soon to be just a tree-hugger, a failure so the need to know over step the fear mounted in his throat, making him hard to swallow.


End file.
